BASEL/REINACH, Switzerland, January 7 2009 – Nitec Pharma AG (“Nitec” or “Nitec Pharma”), a Switzerland-based specialty pharma company focused on the development and commercialization of medicines to treat chronic inflammation and pain-related diseases, today announced that its lead product, Lodotra™, has been recommended for European regulatory approval for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (“RA”) and associated morning stiffness. Germany was the Reference Member State and Lodotra™ is now also considered approvable by the regulatory agencies of 14 other countries (the “Euro15”) under the Decentralised Procedure.